The text this morning is from the Gospel according to Mark, the sixth chapter:
The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.Thus far the text.
My dear friends in Christ,
We all know this story pretty well. Jesus feeds five thousand men, not to mention the women and the children, with just a few loaves of bread and a few fish, and miracle of miracles, there’s a ton of food left over. This story has been given to us so many times, I wonder if it’s actually lost its meaning. This is a story of a miracle, but it’s more a story of what that miracle is pointing towards.
You see, when Jesus says to His twelve apostles that they should go into a desolate place, this should immediately bring to mind the time when God sent His twelve tribes into the desert, the place where they would end up wandering for 40 years. There is no place more desolate than a desert. Sand, wind, heat, cold, danger, all await you. And for Jesus to tell His twelve to go willingly there, it’s almost as if Jesus is attempting to recapitulate the Israelites’’ journey, to do everything the Israelites did over again. It might seem that way because that’s exactly what Jesus is doing.
He’s bringing them into a desolate place, just as God took His people into a desolate place. And for why? They had just spent some good time out on the road, ministering to people, preaching to them the Gospel of Jesus, preaching repentance and the forgiveness of sins, and now Jesus calls them to a place where nothing good awaits them. Except that Jesus goes with them. Where Jesus is, there is always goodness. Where Jesus is, there is never any real danger. And just like the Israelites picked up many who would believe in the one true God along the way, so, too, did Jesus and the apostles attract many who would follow.
These people were desperate. They wanted something from Jesus. But, notice, it’s not food they wanted, it’s not welfare, not healthcare, not miracles. They were sheep without a shepherd; they were lost, they need guidance, they needed and wanted the Word of God and Jesus would give it to them. They were begging for it, and Jesus had compassion on them. Finally, after watching them starve all day, He wanted to give them something to eat. But to feed at least 15,000 people would be expensive. If the apostles were to run out at get Subway platters to feed them all, it’d be almost $70,000. It would have been impossible.
Yet, the Lord Jesus had another way. Just as the Lord had provided for the Israelites in the desert, so would He now provide for His Israelites around Him. Before, He had given manna, quail, water. They all came freely and abundantly. Now, He would give bread and fish freely and abundantly, and the twelve baskets left over would point to His care and provision.
Note that Jesus does not take care of Himself this whole time; He only takes care of others. He does not need anything, but instead gives. He takes the desolate place, fills it up with His people, and then makes it abundant, giving Himself over completely to His work. It also goes to prove to us that God gives so completely that there is no end to His gifts, yet there also is no waste. God is good and gracious, and takes care of others first.
This should, of all things, point us to the cross: that the blood of the Christ shed for you is so lavish that it could cover the whole world in a flood that would rival Noah’s, yet not one drop goes to waste. There is nothing that you have done to earn that blood; you are a sheep and you have a Shepherd in the God-man, Jesus Christ. He takes care of you, even as you should wander in the desolate place of your sin and despair. There He feeds you, not just with the gifts of the earth, but more importantly with the gifts of His flesh and His blood, to sustain you throughout your pilgrim journey.
But it is also true that the Lord blesses you with the gifts of the earth. What He gives you, He gives you because of what He has done on the cross for you, and He gives you exactly what you need. The people with Jesus that day needed first the Word of God and the shepherding care of Jesus. Then, they needed food. Jesus gave them both. And what you need, He gives. If you don’t have it, you don’t need it. If you have it, then it is a blessing, and not a bit of it should go to waste.
It is, then, lastly true that wherever our Lord is, He takes that which is desolate and turns it into green fields. He went to the desolate place, the people followed. He went to the desert, and instead of finding sand, they found green grass. Instead of finding starvation, they found fish and bread. Instead of finding danger, they found safety. Our Lord takes that which is desolate, separated from Him, not being what it should be, and turns it into that which is good and right and holy. Our Lord turns your heart from the blackness of sin and into the brightness of His salvation. Jesus gives and gives, He gives you life, He gives you forgiveness, He gives you salvation, and not a bit of it is wasted, yet you never run out.
Ultimately, all this will be completed on the last day, when Christ comes back to remake the heavens and the earth and He will turn this world of sorrow and despair and sin into the world of righteousness and truth and purity forever. He shall give and give and give and give and there shall never be need and we shall be filed to fullest.
It is true that this is a marvelous miracle, and one which should be told over and over. But the point isn’t just that God can do whatever He wants to His creation, it’s that He does it all to care for you, for you who gather to hear His Word, to sing His praise, to give Him thanks. He does it all for you, that you might be found in Him on the last day. So many who have come before have scattered the sheep of the Lord; yet, he shall bring them all back. He shall bring them back to the fold. Jesus is the Shepherd, Jesus is the branch of Jesse, He shall reign, He shall save. He shall come and preach peace. He shall bring His people together. He shall be our righteousness, and it shall not be found in any other. Only He can make the desolate lush, for where He is, there can be no desolation, not of land, not of sea, not of air, and most certainly not of heart.
It is all His and He shall guard and guide you in His love until the end. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Now may the peace of God which passes all human understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord! Amen.
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